Rollermania!
In the early days, no one ever imagined just what a massive effect The Bay City Rollers would have on the pop world. The Rollers would be invited to make appearances or to do shows, and when their management would advise that they would perhaps need more security, there would be reassuring words from the event organisers saying things like "oh it's ok, everything will be alright. It'll be calm and orderly. Don't worry about a thing. We know what we're doing. We've 'ad 'em all 'ere..... we've 'ad The Osmonds, David Cassidy, we've seen it all, It'll be fine. Nothing can go wrong. We've got everything under control. (or words to that effect!) Little did they know!
The Bay City Rollers created interest, excitement and absolute pandemonium
almost everywhere they went. Their fans were some of the most devoted, fanatical and demonstrative ever seen. The behaviour they displayed in the presence of their idols was unbelievable. Wherever the Bay City Rollers appeared in public they caused mass hysteria - with fans screaming, crying, fainting, stretching their hands out to touch the group and oftentimes at concerts rushing the stage in an effort to get to the group. In the prescence of the Rollers, many fans would become completely hysterical and as such, totally uncontrollable. For the uninitiated, scenes like this were bewildering, quite worrying, even a little frightening. The group completely took over the lives of their fans, who were predominantly young girls. Most were probably teenagers but many were pre-teens. And this pop group was their first love, their heartthrobs, in fact their whole world. The effect The Bay City Rollers had on their fans was such a phenomenon that it was given a name by the press - 'Rollermania'.
almost everywhere they went. Their fans were some of the most devoted, fanatical and demonstrative ever seen. The behaviour they displayed in the presence of their idols was unbelievable. Wherever the Bay City Rollers appeared in public they caused mass hysteria - with fans screaming, crying, fainting, stretching their hands out to touch the group and oftentimes at concerts rushing the stage in an effort to get to the group. In the prescence of the Rollers, many fans would become completely hysterical and as such, totally uncontrollable. For the uninitiated, scenes like this were bewildering, quite worrying, even a little frightening. The group completely took over the lives of their fans, who were predominantly young girls. Most were probably teenagers but many were pre-teens. And this pop group was their first love, their heartthrobs, in fact their whole world. The effect The Bay City Rollers had on their fans was such a phenomenon that it was given a name by the press - 'Rollermania'.
Rollermania In The UK in 1975
After the fans had been waiting for hours outside for the Rollers whilst chanting and singing about the group there is an avalanche of emotion as the Rollers emerge! At the sight of the Rollers the fans begin desperately shouting out the names of their favourite, screaming and crying. Some are taken into an ambulance either through injury, being overcome with emotion, hysteria or fainting.
After the fans had been waiting for hours outside for the Rollers whilst chanting and singing about the group there is an avalanche of emotion as the Rollers emerge! At the sight of the Rollers the fans begin desperately shouting out the names of their favourite, screaming and crying. Some are taken into an ambulance either through injury, being overcome with emotion, hysteria or fainting.
This was something the UK had not seen before. Of course, there had been 'manias' in the past. There was Beatlemania. Osmondmania, Cassidymania. Was their an Elvismania? Not too sure. But of a surety, NOTHING compared to Rollermania. Absolutely nothing. Not sure what it was but there was something unique about Rollermania. Not only did the fans seem far more fanatical but with the tartan clothing they wore in order to copy their idols, it added weight to the fact that they were 100% devoted to their group. Whenever the Rollers played in concert or appeared in public somewhere, the sea of tartan and the sea of Roller 'uniforms' waiting to greet them was amazing. Just seeing a mass of people all dressed in tartan trimmed clothes, all dressed the same (or very similar) solely in the name of the boy pop group they loved, well, that was a phenomenon in and of itself, and as such was pretty overwhelming and very, very powerful. It was a force to be reckoned with, and since Rollermania in the 70's, nothing like it has EVER been seen in this world again. Since The Bay City Rollers, no boy band or singer has ever caused anything equal to the 'mania' phenomenon as they caused - not Duran Duran, not Bros, not New Kids On The Block, not Jason Donovan, not Justin Beiber, not One Direction, no one.